Need advice on training program...

[gneal]

I'm starting a new program tonight that will entail a concentrated routine on the chest. I'll be hitting the chest on Monday, Wenesday, and Friday doing different exercises on all 3 days. The program calls for legs on Tuesday and the rest on Saturday which is all fine.

My question is: Since I will be hitting the chest 3 days a week, how will I ever actually recover? It seems for me the second day after a good workout my muscles are more sore than the day after. Even though I'm hitting different areas of the chest I would think it will be hard to ever actually let the chest recover and get bigger.

The program is only supposed to be done for 4 weeks, then you go back to your normal chest workout. The article said I should get the bulk of my growth after this 4 week workout(although some size will be gained over the 4 weeks, the bulk of the gains will be after that).

I'm looking forward to the workout I'm just worried about working my chest on a day when it will be very sore.

Thanks,
Greg

[Bob45]

If you are someone who needs a long recovery period it won't be good for you. I recover pretty quickly. With a long break I don't do well. You also have to look at the intensity of it. If you are only doing one lift for chest each day for around 4 or 5 sets it wouldn't be too much for most people. It wouldn't hurt to try. It's only 4 weeks. It takes years to develop a good chest.

[MR]

Common sense rules over any program or routine out there. I'd say try it and see...but, chest three times a week does seem like overkill.

Mike

[lukamar]

My view is that 3 times a week for any body part, maybe with the exception of arms, could well be counter productive for you. You may find your body revolts and you actually lose size. A lot depends on the program, the weight used, the reps, the sets and the order the exercises are done in.

[britonarius]

Originally Posted by MR

Common sense rules over any program or routine out there. I'd say try it and see...but, chest three times a week does seem like overkill.

Mike

Gotta agree - so many harebrained schemes out there. 3 X a week on the chest ain't gonna make it big. A good friend of mine who has bodybuilt for 35 years including comps said that overkill is exactly that and you don't get big from it ; just ugly in that the tears are unsightly. Sorry to be negative but its ott.

[WizardGlick]

Common sense rules over any program or routine out there. I'd say try it and see

x3

Have some fun and check it out! After a few weeks see how your body responds! What does the entire routine look like? If you're only hitting chest 3 per week but only 2-3 sets per day you should be fine?

There's a power lifting routine out there that calls for hitting chest 3 times per week. Each day is a different rep scheme though. A trainer at my gym was doing it for awhile.

[neutrolizr]

I always consider my body and workouts an experiment. I change it, but always seem to go back to what works for ME! Everyone is different....EXCEPT, your body needs rest. Workouts arent for how strong you are when your lifting, but how strong you are and how much lean tissue you maintain when you're not.

3 times a week is a bit extreme unless youre doing full body workouts on a mon wed fri cycle, and if you're looking for size, id say dont even do that for too long...just a few weeks to shock your body.

[gneal]

I got the program off of t-nation and it goes something like this:

Monday
Dumbbell presses 6 sets with max weight

1x7, 1x5, 1x3,1x7, 1x5, 1x3

Decline Bench 3 sets

6-8 reps

Lift halfway, backdown and backup as one rep.

Cable crossovers to high position and low position. 3 sets

10-12 reps

Pec Deck 1 set of 100

Go from full extension to halfway and back as one rep.

Wednesday they mix it up a bit with different exercises but still hitting the chest hard and Friday concentrates on doing more incline work. I may end up just doing a Monday/Friday thing since my guess is on Wednesday I'll be lucky to be able to dry my hair. My gut feeling is that this workout was probably designed for younger guys who recover quicker than I do.

I was just concerned about working out with just 2 days rest. I'll see how my body reacts after tonights workout.

Thanks for the responses.

[Bob45]

Originally Posted by gneal

I got the program off of t-nation and it goes something like this:

Monday
Dumbbell presses 6 sets with max weight

1x7, 1x5, 1x3,1x7, 1x5, 1x3

Decline Bench 3 sets

6-8 reps

Lift halfway, backdown and backup as one rep.

Cable crossovers to high position and low position. 3 sets

10-12 reps

Pec Deck 1 set of 100

Go from full extension to halfway and back as one rep.

Wednesday they mix it up a bit with different exercises but still hitting the chest hard and Friday concentrates on doing more incline work. I may end up just doing a Monday/Friday thing since my guess is on Wednesday I'll be lucky to be able to dry my hair. My gut feeling is that this workout was probably designed for younger guys who recover quicker than I do.

I was just concerned about working out with just 2 days rest. I'll see how my body reacts after tonights workout.

Thanks for the responses.

Okay, that is a lot. It doesn't give you much time for the rest of your body.

[gneal]

Yeah, on MWF you are only working on chest. The other 2 days you do the rest. Like I said, it's only for 4 weeks. We shall see, I may not make it that long before I modify this.

[SR800]

I would venture to say you will get a bigger chest by doing squats, deads, power cleans, chins, dips, presses and bench. Leave out all that other crap.

[Reality_Check]

Originally Posted by gneal

My question is: Since I will be hitting the chest 3 days a week, how will I ever actually recover?

Beats me

[lukamar]

Originally Posted by gneal

Monday
Dumbbell presses 6 sets with max weight

1x7, 1x5, 1x3,1x7, 1x5, 1x3

Decline Bench 3 sets

6-8 reps

Lift halfway, backdown and backup as one rep.

Cable crossovers to high position and low position. 3 sets

10-12 reps

Pec Deck 1 set of 100

I'll give you a bit of a hint, you don't get a big looking chest from declines or flat bench you get it from inclines and building the upper pec. This program also does not have you in the right rep range for Hypertrophy. IMHO 4 weeks or 4 days my view is it's a waste of your time.